Hundreds of families are arriving in Colorado Springs for this years International Association of Firefighters Memorial. The annual event honors our brave firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice on the job.
271 names will be added to this wall this year. This is the third largest number ever in the events history and for the families of those firefighters, tomorrow will serve as a somber remembrance of their loved ones bravery.
Each name on the wall tells a story of a firefighter who paid the ultimate cost and left a family behind. The fallen are from across the U.S. and Canada.
Names this year will include legacy names. Those are firefighters who’ve died from occupational illnesses like cancer. Of the 271 names being added, over 200 are firefighters who died from fire service-related cancers.
“It’s incredibly emotional,” said David Noblitt with the Colorado Springs Firefighter Association, “but it’s also really humbling to allow people to understand that we simply don’t forget those that have ultimately made that sacrifice.”
The event started 32 years ago and continues to grow each year. It’s free and open to the public.
The ceremony starts at 11 a.m. at Memorial Park. News5 will livestream the event on September 15, 2018 via Youtube on our website and the News5 app – here.
